Clearfield football too much for Bellefonte to handle, as the Raiders fall 47-14

Bellefonte did something Friday night no team had done in more than a month — score against Clearfield’s stifling defense.

That was about the only down note Clearfield had on Senior Night at the Bison Sports Complex as it rolled to a 47-14 victory — the Bison’s second lopsided win vs. the Red Raiders this season. Clearfield won at Bellefonte, 48-0, back on Sept. 24.

The first half turned into the Oliver Billotte-Karson Kline show as the senior quarterback-wide receiver duo connected on touchdown passes of 57, 50 and 51 — all in the Bison’s first eight plays — before adding a 16-yarder late in the half to account for all four Bison scores as they took a 28-7 lead to the half.

Kline had six catches for 194 yards and the four scores at the break before adding a 41-yarder in the third to finish with 235 yards. Billotte, who had 235 yards at the half, finished 12 of 16 for 285 yards with four TDs and one interception.

Fellow seniors Mark McGonigal and Jose Alban each added 62 yards and a score on the ground as the Bison racked up 467 total yards. Bison Nate Natoli added a 2-yard touchdown run for Clearfield’s final score, while senior kicker Luke Sidorick was 5 of 7 on extra points.

Bellefonte got the ball to start the game, and Clearfield quickly forced a three-and-out. McGonigal then ripped off a 14-yard run on the first play before Billotte went deep to Kline two plays later for a 57-yard scoring strike. Sidorick’s kick made it 7-0 less than three minute into the game.

The Bison “D” then forced another quick punt, thanks to a sack by Isaac Samsel and Joseph Knee.

Bellefonte’s defense then made a stand, forcing Clearfield into a fourth-and-8 at midfield. The Bison went for it, and Billotte found Kline on an out route. The senior receiver did the rest as he made a defender miss before sprinting down the sideline for a 50-yard touchdown. Sidorick added the extra point at the 3:49 mark of the opening quarter.

Bellefonte’s offense finally showed some life on its ensuing possession, getting a huge 59-yard catch by Nicholas Way on a slant on third-and-17 at the Red Raider 28.

That huge play put Bellefonte in the red zone at the Bison 13, and Triston Heckman scored on a counter from 11 yards out two plays later.

Hayden Walker added the extra point as the Red Raiders became the first team to score points on the Clearfield defense since Tyrone found the end zone in the fourth quarter of the Bison’s 42-12 victory way back on Sept. 17.

Clearfield (9-0) had shut out its last four opponents and allowed just 26 points all season entering Friday night.

The Bison didn’t waste any time answering that score, as Billotte and Kline hooked up for a 51-yard scoring bomb on the first play of its next drive to quickly make it 21-7 with 50 seconds left in the first quarter.

Both defenses actually controlled the second quarter, with the lone points coming on a 16-yard TD catch by Kline with 31 seconds left on the clock. The catch capped a 7-play, 68-yard scoring drive that followed a 57-yard quick kick by Bellefonte’s Trevor Johnson on a third-and-32 plays from his own 11.

Clearfield got the ball to start the second half and opened with a bang as Alban ripped off a 52-yard touchdown run on the second play of the third. Sidorick’s kick made it 35-7 just 45 seconds into the half.

Bellefonte picked up a first down on its first possession of the third but then was forced to punt once again.

Clearfield then went back to air as Billotte and Kline connected for the final time in the game. Kline again broke free to the outside and sprinted down the sideline as it appeared had scored for a fifth time. However, officials ruled he stepped out at the Red Raider 18 and what wound up a 41-yard catch.

McGonigal scored on the ensuing play, but with a light rain falling, the ball appeared to slip off the kicking block on the extra point and Sidorick’s low kick was blocked.

The missed extra point stopped the mercy rule clock (35-point lead) from starting, but the Bison invoked that on their next possession when a personal foul penalty extended the drive on a punt by the Bison.

Clearfield took advantage of a fresh set of downs and scored six plays later on a two-yard run by Natoli that made it 47-7. Sidorick’s extra point was off the mark.

Bellefonte put together a scoring drive on its final possession of the game with a host of reserves on the field.

The Red Raiders initially looked content to run out the clock, but a 37-yard run by Grayson Alterio that put Bellefonte at the Bison 25 changed that thinking.

Grady Garrison added a 12-yard run, while Ashton Kozel hauled in a 13-yard pass from Trevor Johnson that set up a 3-yard TD run from Alterio with five seconds left in the game. Walker’s second extra point of the game set the final at 47-14.

Alterio led Bellefonte’s ground attack with five carries for 46 yards, all on that final scoring drive. Johnson finished 5 of 12 for 89 yards, with Way catching three passes for 58 yards.

Bellefonte finished with 178 total yards — 89 rushing and 89 passing.

Clearfield closes out the regular season next Friday night at home against Central Clarion.

This story was originally published October 22, 2021 at 11:28 PM.